861.77 Chinese Eastern/199: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Schurman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 13—12:30 p.m.]
146. Contrary to custom, the Chinese Minister yesterday asked the German Foreign Office official chargéd with Far Eastern affairs to give him “advice in finding face-saving formula” to solve the conflict over the Chinese Eastern Railway, saying he was acting under his Government’s instructions. In keeping with the Foreign Office conviction that no Western power can usefully intervene, the response will be given the Chinese Minister this afternoon that, inasmuch as Germany represents the interests of each power in the other’s territory and therefore desires to be kept informed fully, it is unable to give the advice requested; but the Foreign Office would be ready to acquaint the Soviet Government with the fact that such an inquiry had been made by the Chinese.
At the Foreign Office it is also said that recently the Russians have been very quiet in regard to the railway. For more than a week no important word has been received from Moscow.
On August 5 the German Ambassador there was told by Stomaniakov that the Russian Government had learned of the American proposal, which was “fairly accurately” repeated; and Dirksen was violently reproached for keeping the matter secret.